Looking for the best Roanoke Island campgrounds & RV parks? This guide covers both RV parks on the island — Beechland Campground in Manteo and The Refuge on Roanoke Island near Wanchese — and explains when a sound-side base beats camping out on the beach.
Roanoke Island sits on the sound side, between the Outer Banks barrier islands and the North Carolina mainland. US-64 runs east–west across it, linking the mainland (via the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge) to Whalebone Junction in Nags Head (via the Washington Baum Bridge). Manteo, the island’s only real town, is at the north end; Wanchese, a working fishing village, is at the south. Both of the island’s RV parks are private, RV-only, full-hookup properties on the water, and both are run by the same local family.
Parks in this region
- Beechland Private · Manteo · hookups: Full · rate: $$ · pets: Restrictions apply · year-round: Not published
- The Refuge Private · Wanchese · hookups: Full · rate: $$ · pets: Restrictions apply · year-round: Not published
Getting here
From the north, take US-158 over the Wright Memorial Bridge, run south through Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head to Whalebone Junction, then turn west on US-64 across the Washington Baum Bridge. From the west, US-64 brings you over the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge at Manns Harbor and puts you on the island without ever crossing to the barrier islands — the shortest OBX approach for anyone driving in from Raleigh or the I-95 corridor. If you are weighing the two crossings in a big rig, see Wright Memorial vs. Virginia Dare Bridge.
Once you are on the island, the final approach to either park is straightforward. Beechland is off S. California Lane on the edge of Manteo; The Refuge is on NC Highway 345 heading down toward Wanchese, roughly five miles south of downtown.
Why stay in this region
Roanoke Island is the quiet, protected side of the Outer Banks. You are off the barrier island, out of the worst of the ocean wind and blowing sand, and every site at both parks is full hookup — no dry camping, no generator hours, no sand in the sewer connection. Downtown Manteo gives you the only walkable historic waterfront anywhere near the islands, with restaurants, shops and the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse a short stroll from the car.
It is also a genuinely central base. Whalebone Junction is about 20 minutes from Manteo, which puts the Nags Head beaches, Jennette’s Pier and the causeway water sports within a short drive, and Hatteras Island within reach for a day trip. From The Refuge the Nags Head beaches are about seven miles east over the causeway.
Best for
RVers who want a calm, full-hookup basecamp with a real town attached rather than an oceanfront site; families splitting time between beach days and Fort Raleigh, the North Carolina Aquarium and The Lost Colony; travelers arriving from the west on US-64 who would rather not cross onto the barrier islands at all; and longer-stay campers — both parks offer monthly rates, and both keep a large share of their sites on annual leases.
What Roanoke Island does not offer
There is no ocean beach on the island and no National Park Service campground here, so neither park is oceanfront and neither is a walk-to-the-surf option. Both are also strictly RV-only: no tents, and no tents pitched alongside an RV on a site. If you want sand out the door or a tent-friendly campground, look at Kill Devil Hills and the Northern OBX or Hatteras Island instead.
RV parks on Roanoke Island: what to know before you book
Beechland Campground (Manteo) is the town basecamp. It sits on the edge of Manteo within a bike ride of the downtown waterfront, with 30/50-amp full hookups on back-in and pull-through sites, a heated pool looking out over the Croatan Sound, a bathhouse with hot showers, a dog park, laundry and Wi-Fi. Nightly RV sites are offered alongside annual and monthly leases — current rates and reservations are on the park’s site. Exact site count and rig-length limits are not published, so call ahead if you are running long.
The Refuge on Roanoke Island (Wanchese) is an RV community first and a nightly campground second. Of its 59 sites, 44 are annual leases and only 15 waterfront sites rent by the night — and those go early. Sites are 30/50-amp full hookup and take rigs to 40 ft, with a pool overlooking the sound, bathhouse, coin laundry, pavilion, catch-and-release pond fishing and kayak access. Nightly waterfront sites are offered — current rates and reservations are on the park’s site. Book well ahead in summer.
Because the same local family runs both properties, it is worth asking about availability at the other park when your first choice is full. For how these two compare with the rest of the Outer Banks on power, water and sewer, see Hookups & Utilities: OBX Campground Comparison.
Things to do on Roanoke Island
- Downtown Manteo — the waterfront boardwalk, the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and the island’s restaurants and shops. Full day-trip plan in Manteo & Roanoke Island for OBX RVers.
- Fort Raleigh National Historic Site — the north end of the island, and the historical anchor of the whole Outer Banks story. Background in our Outer Banks history guide.
- The Lost Colony at the Waterside Theatre and the Elizabethan Gardens, both on the island’s north end.
- North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island — the reliable rainy-day option for families.
- Roanoke Island Festival Park — and the one parking lot on the island with room for a larger rig short-term.
- Wanchese — the working fishing village about two miles south of The Refuge. More ideas in OBX attractions & nearby day trips.
Explore other OBX regions
- Kill Devil Hills: The Northern OBX
- Tri-Villages: Rodanthe, Waves & Salvo
- Hatteras Island: Avon, Buxton & Frisco
- Ocracoke: The Remote Ferry Destination
Plan your trip
- Hookups & Utilities: OBX Campground Comparison
- Outer Banks RV Seasons: When to Go
- Full OBX RV parks directory
- Outer Banks RV parks map
- The Ultimate OBX RV Guide
- Outer Banks Travel Guide
Frequently asked questions — Roanoke Island RV camping
Is there tent camping on Roanoke Island?
No. Both Beechland Campground and The Refuge on Roanoke Island are RV-only, and neither allows tents — including tents pitched alongside an RV on the same site.
How far is Roanoke Island from the beach?
The Nags Head beaches are about seven miles east of The Refuge over the causeway, and Whalebone Junction is roughly a 20-minute drive from Manteo. You drive to the beach from either park — nothing on Roanoke Island is oceanfront.
Can I get a nightly site at The Refuge on Roanoke Island?
Sometimes. Only 15 of the park’s 59 sites rent by the night — the other 44 are annual leases — so summer nightly availability is tight and books early.
Which Roanoke Island park is better for a big rig?
The Refuge publishes a 40-foot limit. Beechland does not publish rig-length limits or a site count, so call the park before booking if you are longer than that.